Timer for ignition sytems.



w. GADKE.

TIMER FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1914.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Emmi: .ummmjvc.

WILLIAM GADKE, OF PHILAIJELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

. TIMER son IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Spe'ciflcationof Letters IPatent.

Application filed June a, 1914. Serial No. a42,es5.'

- To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GADKE, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Timers for Ignition' Systems, of which the following isa.

specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel mechanism particularlydesigned for successively making and breaking an electric circuit, andmore especially the primary circuitof the ignition system of an internalcombustion engine.

It is further desired to provide a timer which, in addition to beingrelatively simple, substantial and reliable in operation, shall have itsparts soarranged and constructed'that its action is substantiallyconstant regardless of the speed at which its driving member isoperated; that is to say, its contact members shall be actuated to makeand break the circuit in which they are included at a definite timeafter the slide member has been actuated by the driving member,regardless of the speed of the latter.

I further desire to provide a. timer in which the parts shall be sodisposed and constructed that they shall be practically unaffected bythe momentum resulting from the high speed of operation of any of them,the invention contemplating a mechanism which shall not requireattention or repair for long periods of time.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I 1Figure 1 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the constructionof a timer made according to'my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe timer shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view ofcertain of the parts of the timer; and Figs. 1 and 5 are elevations, tosome extent diagrammatic, illustrating the operation of the mechanism.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a 1'0- tary timing shaft whose speedis the same as, or bears a definiteratio to. that of the engine in whosecylinders the explosive charges are to be ignited. One end of this shaftprojects through a relatively fixed circular plate '2 which mayconstitute the base of a casing whose detail construction forms no partof the present invention.

That portion of said shaft which projects above the top face of theplate has keyed or otherwise fixed to it a collar 3 carrying a ring 4 ofinsulating material on.- which is mounted a metal ring 5, and thislatter has pro ecting from its curved surface any suit able number ofradial pins 6 depending upon the number of cylinders of the engine. Inthe present case there are four such pins mounted on the ring 5 atpoints 90 distant from each other. Carried by, but insulated from, thebaseplate 2, is a fiat, more or less segmental, metal plate 7, held inplace by screws 8, insulated therefrom by non-conducting washers 7 andT, and passing through nonconducting bushings so that thereis no currentflow between the base structure 2 and said plate 7. The latter isprovided with a terminal screw 9 electrically insulated from thebase-plate and designed for the connection of a conductor forming partof the primary current of an ignition system.

Mounted on the plate 7, immediately adjacent the ring 5, is an anglepiece 10 detachably held in place by screws 11 and cooperating with theturned-up edge 12 of the plate 7 to form a narrow guide-way extendingsubstantially perpendicular to the top surface of the plate 2, and inthis guide-way is mounted a hooked slide 13. Said slide is characterizedby the possession of an incline and a shoulder or. hooked portion 14,which, under normal conditions, extends practically perpendicular to thetop surface of the plate 2 in the path of movement of the pins 6. Fromthe top end of this shoulder to the adjacent end of the slide piece 13the incline 35 extends at an angle of about 60 to the line of saidshoulder and is like wise engaged by the pins 6 when the timing shaft 1is turned in a direction opposite to that required for them to engagethe shoulder.

The slide 13 has through its body portion an elongated slot 15 for thereception of a pivot pin 16 mounted in the parts 10 and 12 and extendingacross the guide-way in which said slide is movable. The rear end of theslide is forked in the present instance and one branch 17 extendsupwardly to provide an arm for the attachment of one end of a PatentedMay 2, 1916.

spring 118: whose second end is connected to a pin 19 mounted in theplate 7, the arrangement being such that the spring maintains theforward portion of the slot 15, or that end nearest the hook formed bythe incline 35 and the shoulder 1-1, in engagement with the pivot pin16. j

The lower branch 19 of the fork is bent at right-angles to the generalplane of the slide to form an arm designed to co-act with a projectingarm 20 of a lever 21 pivotally mounted on the;plate 7 by means of ascrew 'lhe-movement of this lever in one direction is limited by aposh-23 projecting upwardly from thetop surface of the plate and adacent its pivot or 't'ulcruni said leveriha's fixed to itaspringstrip2dof conducting material which spaced nway trom its body and whoseouterend bent through an angle of substantially 180 so as to en gage theopposites -ot said lever.- This strip is of spring 'niaterial andadjacent its end carries contact piece ers 29 and bushings for thescrews 30, whereby said plate is heldin position. On this latter is aterminal screw 31 and a turned-up portion 32 for'the reception of ascrew whose outer end terminates in a second contact piece 34c adjacentthe contact 25. Said screw 33 is so adjusted that these two pieces areseparated by a definite space when the lever 21 isin engagement with itspost 23 and under these-conditions, the spring 18 holdsthe slide 13 inits rearmost position with its arm 19 slightly below and out of contactwith the arm 20 of the lever 21. If now, the shaft 1 be turned in aclockwise direction, the pins 6 successively engage the. shoulder 14 ofthe slide 13 and move it longitudinally in its slide-way against theaction of the spring 155', until the rear end of the slot 15 comes intoengagement with the pivot pin 16. Since 'further movement in a'line orplane tangent'to a circle concentric with the shaft 1 is now impossible,the slide 13 rotates on said pivot until its shoulder ll finallydisengages the particular one of the pins 6 with which it is engaged,\YhGIQUpOII it quickly returns to its normal position under the actionof the springlS, it being noted that thoseface's' of the pins capable ofengaging the shoulder 14 are flat, while the opposite faces arecylindrically curved. At-no time during the movement of the slide doesits arm 19 engage the arm 20 of, the lever 21, so that there can be nomovement of=;-the lever on its pivot. Under the action of each pin,therefore, the slide-13 is movedbya clockwise rotation of the shaftfirst forwardly in' a straight line, then it is caused to turn on itspivot until its shoulder 14 escapes from the pin 6 and then it movesback to its normal position shown in Fig. 2, the contacts and 34 being,of course, out of engagement. lVhen, however, the shaft 1 is rotated ina counter-clockwisedirection, the curved surface of the pin- 6 firstengaging the lever 13 strikes the incline thereof and at once turns iton the; pivot pin 16 as indicated in Fig.5, causing itsarm. 19 toshortly engage the arm 20 of the lever 21, thus swinging the latteronits pivot screw This movement against the action of the spring 26continue until thecontact" piece engages the contact M at which timethepin l) is passing oil of the highest part ofthe incline 35 at theupperend of the shoulder 1-1. As soon, therefore as this occurs, thespring l8 turns the lever l3 on its pivot into its normal position witha movement which permits the lever 21 to be moved by the spring 26toward the post The electric circuit. of which a part is in.- cludedbetween the screw 9, plate 7, pivot screw lever 21, spring strip24,.contacts 25 and 34, screw 33, plate 28, and screw31, is thus madeand ln'oken,.and.the pins 6 and incline aswell asthe adjustment of thelever arms 19 and 20, are so designed that while the circuit is completefor a suflicient time to produce a spark ofthe proper inten sity in thesecondary circuit, there is practically no possibility of the primarycircuit being closed for too long a time or acciden-' tally maintainedin a closed 'position, since the action of the pins 6 does not cause thearm 19 to-niove the lever,21 sufficiently to close said circuit untiljust before it passes off of the high part of the incline 35. Eventhough the speed of the shaft 1. be very greatly increased, the actionof the pivoted slide 13 is practically constant, itbeing noted that themovement of the lever 21 toward the screw 33 first permits the contactsand 34. to come into engagement; whcreupon it continues movementindependently of the strip 24: until the slide 13 is disengaged from theactuating pin 6.

At low speeds the same sequence of ope ations takes place. The sparksare formed at the same times in each revolution of the timing shaft andthey continue for the same length of time, there being novibration oruncertain action due to the inertia of the parts at high speeds, asthese latter are relatively light and so mounted that they move throughrelatively short paths.

By reason of the simplicity of the apparm tus it is inexpensive to makeand maintain ating and may be substantial'as well as durable; with aconstant elimination of uncertainty of action.

I claim 1. The combination in a timer of two contacts; an actuatingmember; and a device consisting of a slide free to move bodily andpivotally and positively .-movable by said member to cause one of thecontactsto periodically engage the other, said slide being mounted totransmit from said actuating member-to one of the contacts.

2. The combination in a timer of an actumember having a projection; aslide guided to move'bodily in one plane under the action of saidprojection and also free to move pivotally in the same plane; with twocontacts mounted to be periodically closed by said slide while it isbeing positively-"- moved by said projection.

3. The combination in a timer of a rotary actuating member having aprojection; a slide movable bysaid projection and having an elongatedslot; a pivot pin passing through the slot; and two contacts of whichone is mounted to be positivel moved by the slide to engage the otherwhile said slide is being moved by the actuating member in one of twopaths.

4. The combination in a timer of a supporting structure having aguide-way; a member slidable in said guide -way and also pivotallymovable; an actuating member mounted to cause movement of the slide ineither of two paths; and two contact members including a part acted onby the slidable member while it is being moved by the actuating memberin one of its paths, to cause engagement of saidcontacts.

The combina a of a supporting structure havinga guise-way; an actuatingmember rotatable in either of two directions and having a projection; aslide operative in the guide-way under the action of said projection andhaving a slot; a pin passing through the slot; a spring acting on theslide to normally. hold it in a definite .position; a fixed contact;with a relatively movable contact cooperating therewith and including aportion placed to be operatively engaged by the slide while the latteris being positively moved by the actuating member.

(3. The combination in a timer of a rotary shatthaving a projection aslide having a hooked portion placed to be engaged by said projectionand provided with an elongated slot; apivot pin passing through theslot;

a vspring normally holding the slide in a definite position; and twocontacts of which one includes a portion actuated by the slide while thelatter is being moved by the projection.

7. The combination in a timer of a rotary member having a projection; aslide having passing through movement directly unaffected by a shoulderand an inclined portion of which; one is engaged. by'the pro ection whenthe shaft turns in one direction and the other is engaged by saidprojection when the shaft turns in the opposite directio'n';'- a pivotpin an elongated slot: in the slide; a lever moved by the slide when theshaft projection moves the latter in one path but operatively free fromsaid slide when the shaft rotates in the opposite *direction; afixedcontact; and a cooperating contact car- 3 ried by the lever. n

8. The combination in a timer ofa rotary shaft having projections; asupporting structure having a guide-way; ashde more;

able in the guide-way and having. an e lon-' gated slot, said slideincluding a'shou'ider and an inclined portion, both placed to! he"engaged by said projections; a pivot pin passing through the slot of theslidelya spring normally holding the slide in a deli nite position; twocontacts; with a lever carrying one of said contacts and placed t?) beturned on its pivot to cause engagement of the contacts only while theslide is being positively moved by the shaft in one of two definitepaths.

9. The combination in a timer of a rotary shaft having projections asupporting structure having a guide-way; a slide operative in theguide-way and having, an elongated slot; a pivot pm passing through theslot; a

spring normally holding theslide with one end of its slot in engagementwith the pivot; said slide having a shoulder and inclined portion bothin the path of movement of the projections; a fixed contact; andacontact lever cooperating therewith mounted to be positively actuated bythe slide to close the contacts when the incline of said slide isengaged by a projection of the shaft and to be thereof is engaged by theprojection 10. In a contact devicea pivoted lever; a stop limiting itsmovement; a head on said lever having a cain face through which it isnormally operated in one direction and an abutting face through whichsaid head is operable in the opposite'direction; a second lever having apart inthe line of movement of the first lever at' one point in thelatters advance movement whereby in the forward movement of thefirst-lever the second lever will be positively advanced to close thecircuit; a. stop limiting mov'ement of said second lever; with I tensionmeans to return both levers against their stops after they have beenmoved therefrom.

11. In a contact device a pivoted lever adapted for primary actuation; atension device tending to hold said lever in inoperative position; astop limiting the movement of said lever by said tension device; asecond lever mounted on a. fulcrum indethe slide when the shoulderpendent of that of the first lever and having an arm which extendsadjacent and in the hue of movement of an arm of said first lever,whereby said arm in the advance movement of said first lever will tiltthe second lever into position to close the cirflcuit; a. tension devicearranged to retract the second lever; and a stop arranged to limit themovement of the second lever by said tension device.

121 The combination of an actuating member; a .lever pe'riodically movedthere by; a second lever independently mounted on a fulcrum relativelydistant from that of said first lever in position to be turned saidcontacts'into engagement While being inoved 'byj the actuating member.

I contacts, a lever mounted to cause closing '14. The combination in atimer of two cont acts; {iimember pivotally and bodily movable, mountedto cause closing of said contacts while it is being turned from itsnormal. position against a retracting force; and a second lever for.periodically turning andtherea'fter releasing said first member.

15. The combination in a timer of two of said contacts' when moved inone direc tion; an actuating member rotatable in ,Qeither of twodirections; with a second lever mountedto beturned on its fulcrum bysaid actuating member when this latter :isrotated in onedirection andthus cause movement of'the first lever While being so turned, saidsecond lever being placed to be moved bodilyby the actuating member whenthis is turned in the opposite direction and being then withoutoperative .etl'ect' on the firstlever, 116. The combination of a fixedcontact; a movable supporting structure including .a second contact; arotary cam; an independent-and bodily, mo able intermediate Qmembermounted to engage said structure to cause closing of the contactswhileit is being moved by said cam; and 'a spring for returning saidintermediate member to its normal position.

17. The combination in a timer of an actuating member; an intermediatemember; a ,contact-closing. member jvith two tension devicesrespectively operative on the intermediate and contact-closing members,both of said devices being operative to return the intermediate memberto its normal position after it has been'displaced by the actuatingmember. 1

18. The combination in a timer. of an actuating member; anint-ermediatemember consisting of a. bodily movable slide having a camfaceplaced to be engaged by' said actuating member; a contact-closingmember actuated by the slide; with two tension devices respectivelyoperative on the slide and on the contact-closing member, both of saiddevices being operative to return the slide to itsv normal positionafter it has been displaced therefrom by the actuating member.

19. The combination in a contact device of a member having a slideformed with a cam iace through which it is normally operated in onedirection and an abutting face through which it is operated intheopposite direction; a second member having a part in the path ofmovement of the first member while its cam face is being operated on:and contacts placed tobe closed. by said. second member While it isbeing moved by the first member.

.20. The combination in a timer of two I contacts; an actuating member;and a device consisting of a slide free to move bodily and pivotally andpositively movable by said member to cause one of the. contacts toperiodically engage the other, said slide being mounted'to transmitmovement di-

